Airport Transfers

[Furbie]

I am looking for a very reliable, reasonably priced airport transfer service. Work has me travelling loads and some of the flight times are pretty bad. Put simply, there are no taxis near my home at 5:00am, and I want to make sure a ride is in front and ready for me when it's time to leave for the airport. Calling for a taxi works most of the time, but I had two late shows recently and I almost missed my flight. Additionally, worrying about making the taxi service call in the middle of sleep walking through my morning routine is not my idea of fun. As such, I am willing to pay to avoid the hassle; however, I am not willing to pay something crazy like 1,500 baht to get to the airport.

I have seen this service http://www.bangkoklimo.org/our_rate.php - which has a pretty good rate of 700 baht. I am wondering if anyone has used them, or if there is a similarly priced service anyone has used regularly and would recommend. Any advice about such services would be appreciated.

Note: I am not interested in advice or a lecture about how easy it is to take a taxi to and from the airport. As someone who has used the new airport over 30 times since it opened, I think I have that covered and know how to do it correctly. What I want is more convenience and less hassle, while not paying a ridiculous sum of money for it.

[asanee]

While I also must have been 30+ times to this new airpt, this was not always to fly out. However < I miss 1 rather important point in your posting; from WHERE? Pattaya? Klong 78 behind Rangsit? what would normal taximeter usually be?

[Furbie]

While I also must have been 30+ times to this new airpt, this was not always to fly out. However < I miss 1 rather important point in your posting; from WHERE? Pattaya? Klong 78 behind Rangsit? what would normal taximeter usually be?

Good point. Coming from downtown BK - Suk area. Usuall around 200 to the airport, without tolls.

[flyer]

Hi Furbie,

A few years ago i stayed in BKK for a longer time due to business and i found it not so practical to always hail a txi everywhere i needed to go. mainly i was sometimes worried about the condition of the cab or the way the guy was driving

One of the Thai people workng with me told me to 'hire' a personnal taxi driver to solve my problem. How you should do is find a taxi driver who owns his own car. Most taxis are hired for the day by the driver, but some are owned. I am sure in the Sukh area, if you ask arounsd a little bit you can find one. That worked very well for me all the time i stayed there. I would call the guy on his cell phone as soon as i would know i needed a lift and give him the place and time where to pick me up. He never missed being there waiting for me and i felt very safe with a good rather new cab and reasonable driver. I had made a deal with him to pay 100 B on top of taxi meter for any fare i made that way and he looked very happy with the deal. Actually i sitll apply the 100 B rule for any taxi i am asking to bring me to the airport. Many drivers are reluctant to bring you to airport because they have sometimes long hours waiting times there in the taxi queue, hours where they don't earn a baht. Driving back empty to the city is expensive also. So tell them they will get 100 B tip to compensate for their waiting time there and they are well paid for having a nap there.

have good trips .

[isaanbrit]

Hi Flyer,

I really enjoy your generosity. Far too many people barter over 10 or 20 baht with someone who earns less in a week than they spend for one meal. It's not all roses for taxi drivers and as far as I've met they've nearly all been really good people so it's time that us ferang who can afford 100 baht start appreciating what it means to the people we are tipping and stop being tight fisted.

Isn't it funny how people are perfectly happy to tip 10% in a 5* hotel to people who I'm sure earn reasonable wages but will barter with taxi driver.

[Furbie]

Hi Furbie,

A few years ago i stayed in BKK for a longer time due to business and i found it not so practical to always hail a txi everywhere i needed to go. mainly i was sometimes worried about the condition of the cab or the way the guy was driving

One of the Thai people workng with me told me to 'hire' a personnal taxi driver to solve my problem. How you should do is find a taxi driver who owns his own car. Most taxis are hired for the day by the driver, but some are owned. I am sure in the Sukh area, if you ask arounsd a little bit you can find one. That worked very well for me all the time i stayed there. I would call the guy on his cell phone as soon as i would know i needed a lift and give him the place and time where to pick me up. He never missed being there waiting for me and i felt very safe with a good rather new cab and reasonable driver. I had made a deal with him to pay 100 B on top of taxi meter for any fare i made that way and he looked very happy with the deal. Actually i sitll apply the 100 B rule for any taxi i am asking to bring me to the airport. Many drivers are reluctant to bring you to airport because they have sometimes long hours waiting times there in the taxi queue, hours where they don't earn a baht. Driving back empty to the city is expensive also. So tell them they will get 100 B tip to compensate for their waiting time there and they are well paid for having a nap there.

have good trips .

Dear Flyer,

Thanks for the reply and advice; this is an option I used several years ago when I went to Pattaya a lot, as it saved time and aggravation. In fact, I recently started to use a driver with his own car. However, this still puts it down to "one or two guys". If your guy does not make it for some reason, then you're out of luck. I want something entirely reliable, such as a service, so if something goes wrong with one car and driver, they send a replacement.